112 HANDY BOOK OF BEES. 



promotes breeding, and prevents collapse and disaster. 

 Often wlien feeding is not absolutely necessary, wben 

 tbere is plenty of boney in a bive, a little sugar given to 

 it in dull weatber is of great service in keeping up its 

 temperature, and in promoting tbe laying and batcbing 

 of eggs. 



Loaf or refined sugar boiled in pure water, at tbe rate 

 of one pound of sugar to one imperial pint of water, is 

 excellent food for bees. No artificial food is so good for 

 tbem as tbis ; indeed it is better for tbem tban beatber- 

 boney. Tbe mortality of bees fed on beatber-boney is 

 greater in winter tban wben fed on pure sugar-and-water, 

 mixed and boiled as described above. Flower-boney, as 

 it is termed in Scotland, or clover-boney, Ls tbe best and 

 bealtbiest food for bees ; and, strange as it may appear, 

 10 or 11 lb. of tbis boney lasts or feeds a bive as long 

 as 15 lb. of beatber-boney. Brown sugar is relaxing, and 

 sbould not be given to bees as winter food. On tbe score 

 of cbeapness it is often used in summer, and witb safety. 

 Wbite soft sugar, now sold at 3^d. per lb., is nearly as 

 goM as loa&ugar for feeding bees. 



Some old-fasbioned gentlemen, doubtless fond of a glass 

 of good ale tbemselves, like to give tbeir bees sugar-and- 

 ale instead of sugar-and-water-; and some are so kind as 

 to give tbem wine mixed witb sugar. Pure water mixed 

 witb tbe sugar is better for bees tban eitber ale or wine. 

 Tbe elepbant grows strong on water, tbe ox fattens on 

 water, tbe borse does its work on water, and bees want 

 notbing better. 



In mixing sugar and water for bees, it is desirable to 

 present it to tbem sweet enougb, and yet not too tbick 

 and sticky. We bave mentioned one pint of water to 

 one pound weigbt of sugar— tbat is, nearly weigbt for 

 weigbt. We wisb to make ourselves well understood 

 bere ; for tbe EngUsb and Scotcb pints are very different. 



^ 



